1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and in particular to a mobile terminal which is capable of absorbing a shock of a contact of a folder and a main body when the folder is unfolded/folded.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, in a folder type mobile terminal a display liquid screen can be largely formed on a folder, accordingly these days a folder type mobile terminal is widely used.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the rear of a folder type mobile terminal in accordance with the prior art, and FIG. 2 is perspective view illustrating the front of a folder type mobile terminal in accordance with the prior art.
The conventional folder type mobile terminal includes a main body housing a circuit substrate inside and having a menu button 106 and a dial button 104 on the front surface, a folder 110 rotatively connected to the main body 102 and having a liquid screen 108 on the front surface, and a hinge connecting unit 116 rotatively connecting the main body 102 and the folder 110.
The hinge connecting unit 116 is constructed with a hinge bracket 112 projected from the upper both side portions of the main body 102 and being connected each other by a hinge pin (not shown) and a cylindrical hinge unit 114 projected from the upper portion of the folder 110, being inserted into a space between the both hinge bracket 112 and rotatively installed to the hinge bracket 112 by the hinge pin. And, because a spring (not shown) is arranged inside the cylindrical hinge unit 114, when the folder 110 is rotated over a certain angle in the unfolding/folding operation, the spring provides an elastic force in a direction the folder 110 is unfolded/folded.
In the unfolding/folding operation of the folder type mobile terminal, in order to use the terminal, when a user rotates the folder 110 over a certain angle in the direction the folder 110 is unfolded, the elastic force of the spring works in the same direction, accordingly the folder 110 is unfolded. Herein, because a certain portion of the folder 110 and a certain portion of the main body 102 are contacted each other, it prevents the folder 110 from being unfolded over a certain angle.
Herein, a shock occurs on contact portions of the folder 110 and the main body 102. In more detail, as depicted in FIG. 1, the shock occurs when the both corner portions 120 of the hinge unit 114 and the upper portion 122 of the hinge bracket 112 are contacted each other, and the shock occurs when the centrical portion 124 of the hinge unit 114 of the folder 110 and the centrical portion 126 of the hinge bracket 112 of the main body 102 are contacted each other.
And, when the user finishes the usage of the terminal, the user rotates the folder 110 over the certain angle in the folded direction, the elastic force of the spring works in the same direction, accordingly the folder 110 is folded.
Herein, when the folder 110 is folded, a shock occurs on the contact portion of the folder 110 and the main body 102 by the elastic force of the spring. In more detail, as depicted in FIG. 2, when the folder 110 is folded, the front upper portion 130 of the folder 110 and the front lower portion 132 of the main body 102 are contacted each other, herein a shock occurs on the contact portions by the elastic force of the spring.
As described above, in the conventional folder type mobile terminal, a shock occurs on contact portions of a folder and a main body in unfolding/folding operation of the folder, the shock may be transmitted to an operational circuit of the main body or a liquid screen of the folder, due to that its breakage or damage may occur, according to an increase of the number of operation times the contact portions may be worn away, combination between the folder and the main body may be weakened, accordingly the unfolding/folding operation may not be performed smoothly.